Comparative study of the effects of ethanolic leave extracts of Gnetum africanum (Okazi) and Solanum macrocarpon (Garden egg leaf) on the hematological parameters and antioxidant activities of male Wistar rats

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of ethanolic extracts of leaves of Gnetium africanum (G. africanum) and Solanum marcrocarpon (S. marcroarpon) on the haematological parameters and antioxidant activities of male Wistar rats. Thirty (30) male rats were randomly divided into five groups of six (6) each and treated for four weeks as follows: Group 1: Low dose of G. africanum (500 mg/kg), Group 2: High dose of G. africanum (1000 mg/kg), Group 3: Low dose of S. marcrocarpon (500 mg/kg), Group 4: High dose of S. marcrocarpon (1000 mg/kg) and Group 5: Control. The criterion for statistical significance was p≤0.05. The result of Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC) showed significant increase in high dose of G. africanum and S. marcrocarpon 987.27±108.07umol/L and 915.43±24.40umol/L respectively and significant decrease in TAC in low dose of G. africanum and S. marcrocarpon 787.83±15.35umol/L and 796.53±131.49umol/L compared to Control 805.43±11.04umol/L. There was a significant increase in RBC Count in high dose of G. africanum and S. marcrocarpon 7.74±0.50×1012/L and 7.94±0.34×1012/L compared to Control 7.56±0.29×1012/L. The result revealed significant increase in; Haemoglobin Count in high dose of G. africanum and S. marcrocarpon 16.33±1.91g/dl and 17.70±0.70g/dl, compared to Control 15.00±0.82g/dl, and mean levels of PCV count in high dose of G. africanum and S. marcrocarpon 48.67±5.51% and 55.00±1.00% compared to Control 44.67±2.89%. The results of this study showed that the two extracts possessed antioxidant and haematinic properties and that G. africanum has greater antioxidant activities than S. marcrocarpon while S. marcrocarpon has more haematinic properties.